Vessel construction.



wifmeaaeo PATENTED AIR. 23, 1907. W. w. WOTHERSPOON & R. 0. KING.

VESSEL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. so, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

, PATENTED APR. 23, 190 2. W. w. WOTHBRSPOON & R. 0. KING.

VESSEL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. so, 1906.

3 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

No. 851,269. PATENTED APR. 23, 1907.

W. W. WOTHBRSPOON & R. 0. KING.

VESSEL CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED Nov. so, 1906.

3 SHEETS8HEBT 1.

nvemow UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

WILLIAM W. WOTHERSPOON, OF NEW YORK, AND ROBERT 0. KING, OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK.

VESSEL CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed November 30, 1906. Serial No. 346,820.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM W. Worn- ERSPOON, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, and ROBERT 0. KING, of North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vessel Construction, of which the following is a specification. v

Tlns invention relates to the construction of vessels, such as ships and floating dr docks, the objects being to guard against t e sinking of vessels, to provide for the raising of sunken vessels, and the removal and recovery of stranded vessels.

The invention consists primarily in constructing the holds or compartments of the vessel so that-they may at will be rendered air-tight or substantially so; providing each with an air-lock, and arranging for the in troduction of air under pressure into the com artments, in order to expel any water whic may have entered therein.

In carrying our invention into effect in its application particularly to power-driven vessels, such as steamships, the various compartments of the hull, such as the holds, the

engine and boiler rooms,'the coal bunkers,"

tunnels, ballast tanks, etc., are so formed that the ordinary passages of communication with the outside, may be closed air-tight or practically so in order that-air introduced therein under ressure may be condensed sufficiently to orce out'any water entering the hull. In connection with the compartments, air-locks are provided to enable workmen to .enter the same from the outside, while the pressure is maintained, in order to repair v the leaks; .and an air-compressing plant is provided, connected by controllable communications with the various compartments; whereby, in the event of leakage of water into any of'the compartments, air may be forced therein to expel the same.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a lo 'tudinal section through the hull of a vessel Iiaving our invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same on the line aa of .Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional'elevation showing a single air-lock formed to afford entrance to two adjacent compartments. Fi 4 is a sectional elevation of a smokestaci having an air-lock embodied therein. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a form of reducing valve used to regulate the pressure admitted to the compartments. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the preferred form of air-tight covering for the hatchway. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through gig: same on the line bb of the preceding ure.

In the accompanying drawings, which represent only-so much of a vessel as is necessary to illustrate the application and operation of our invention, Arepresents the hull,

" provided at its front and rear with holds or compartments B B, etc., intermediate of which is the engine room C and the boiler room D. As shown, the holds B are separated by vertical partitions I), while the engine room and boiler room are separated from each other by the vertical partition (I, and. they are separated from the adjacent holds B by vertical partitions e.

l1) represents hatches, closing hatchways as usual through the deck into the holds; and F F represent smoke-Hues extending upward throughthe deck from the furnaces.

In applying our invention, the hatches are so formed, as by the provision of packing or otherwise, that they will close the hatchways air-tight or practically so; and in order to render the boiler room air-tight, means are provided for sealing the smoke-flues, either by the application of lids or caps f to their upper ends, or by other suitable means. also any otherof the usual openings communicating with the outside from the compartments, such as port holes, sky-lights, ventilating shafts, etc., are sealed air-tight, in order that air may be forced under pressureinto the compartments and condensed sufliciently to expel any water whichmay have entered through a leak.

.Air under'pressure is introduced into the various compartments through a system of pipes leading thereto from an air-compressing plant G, situated preferably at the upper deck level, and comprising an air-compressing pump H and an operating engine I. The compressed air from the pump'passes by vertical pipe K to a horizontal main distributing pipe L, from which main pipe, vertical branch pipes n lead downward and enter the comwhich the admission of air to thevarious compartments may be independently controlled.

Each of the compartments is rovided with, an air-lock 0 through which t e workmen may enter the compartments while the pressure is maintained, for the purpose of re-"' pairing leaks. These air-locks consist as usual of a chamber having a door 0 communicating with the outside, and a second door 0 communicating with the interior of the compartment.

In the operation of our invention, if a leak occurs or a hole is stove in the bottom of the hull, that compartment in which the leak occurs isclosed air-tight, and the controlling valve n in its branch pipe n is opened. The compressing ump is t en started, and air forced in,wit l the result that the water will be driven out through the hole in the bottom through which it entered. While the pressure of air is maintained in the leaking compartment, workmen may enter the same through the air-lock and make such repairs as are necessary, either permanent repairs, or such tem orary repairs as would enable the vessel to e taken into ort. In the event of the leak occurring or a ole being stove in the side of the hull, the ressure of air in the compartment will expe the water to a level correspondingwith the top of the hole, and the hole may then be closed by the workmen from the inside, starting at the top of the hole and applying the covering gradually in a downward direction. The water remaining in the compartment may then bepumped out in the usual manner. By constructing the engine room'as a separate compartment from the boiler room, if the leak occurs'in the former only, there would be no interference with the operation of the engines after the en ine room had been freed of water.

n order that'the tops of the compartments in which the air is forced may be prevented from being strained by the internal pressure, we preferably employ vertical tierods S connected respectively with the to s and bottoms of, the compartments. r other appropriate means may be emplo ed for this purpose. It will be understood t at it is only necessary to construct such com partments, in the manner described, as are iable to injury, such as those at the sides'aud bottom of the hull; or only such com artments may be thus constructed as the lling of which by water would cause the vessel to sink. It will be understood also that the details of our invention may be variously moditied and changed to meet the different conditions encountered in practice, as regards the type of vessel, the arrangement and construction of the holds or compartments,

and otherfeatures peculiar to' varying t of ship construction. For instance, ot er means .than the tie-rods shown for'strengthening as 1,2e9

the holds or compartments, may be em me ts may be strengthened by appropriate braces applied externally. Furthermore instead of em loying an air-lock for each compartment, tlie air-lock may be formed with a single entrance chamber and two branch chambers, communicating respectively with two adjacent comp Fig. 3. Here it wil be seen that the entrance chamber 1, closed by a door 2 at its upper end, communicates at its lower end with two branch tubes or chambers, 3 and 4, entering respectively two adjacent holds 5 and 6, the communication with these holds being controlled by doors 7 and 8.

Where the communication ofthe compart ment with the outside is in the form of a ventilating funnel, the air-lock may be built in as; a part of the same, as shown in Fig. 1. Here it wiIl be seen that the tube forming a downward continuation of the swivelin funnel,- is provided with an u kilper door 9 which maybe exposed by lifting t e funnel oil, and it is further provided with a lower door 10. It is preferable to construct this tube with fittings so that the doors may be instantly applied,-

whenever the occasion arises. The air-lock may be similarl built-in as a part of the Smokestack, as i lustrated in Fig. 4, where it will be seen that above the upper deck the smokestack is provided with a removable artments, as shown in.

section or door 11, b which access may be had to its interior. ust below this section, and at about a level of the upper deck, the stack is rovided with fittings for an upper air-lock d oor' 12.; and some distance below it is provided with similar fittings v13 for a lower air-lock door, 13*, whichdoors are preferably applied to, their fittings to perform their .functions, whenever it is desired, in a case of leakage, to introduce air pressure intov the boilerroom. Below the door 13 a, second re movable section 14 is provided in the stack, in order to permit the workmen entering through the air-lock to. gain access-to the boiler room.

In the event of leakage into several holds or compartments, the degree of pressure of air necessary to expel the water may vary according to the location of the leak, the list of the vessel and other conditions, such as would cause different hydrostatic pressures. To meet these conditions, we propose to, provide for adjustingthe air pressure admitted to the several compartments, according to the resistanceto be encountered. This ma be conveniently effected by applyingto eacli of the vertical pipes n, a reducing valve 15, which maybe of any well known form, adjustable to different pressures. A valve .of this character is illustrated in Fig. 5, and embodies a valve seat 16, communicating on 0pposite sides with the .pipe n, against which seat a valve proper 17 closes. The valve tight joifit.

proper is provided with a stem 18 extended through a stuffing box to the outside, and throu h av uide plate 20,. a spiral spring 21 encirc ing t estem and bearing at one end against an adjusting nut 22, and at its op site end against, a head 23'on the stem. ii; adjusting this spring to different pressures, the incoming ressure of air may be come-- spondingly re uced as it passes by the valve.

In closing the hatchway air-tight, while this may be accom lished in various ways, we prefer to ado t tiie construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7, w ere it will be seen that the hatchway is closed by a sliding covering or door 25, adapted to fit beneath overhan 'ng guides 26, a packing of rubber or e uiva ent material being interposed between t e covering and the uides in order to form an air-' y the use of a covering of this character, the hatchway may be instantly closed air-tight when the occasion arises.

As shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 7, the air-1631i may be applied to the sliding covering 25.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is l. Incombination with a vessels hull provided with a'plurality of compartments,

' about the upper deck level, and means for in means for sealing at will, air-tight or substantially so, the usual communications of said compartments with the outside, airlocks associated with the several compart-' ments, a source of, air pressure common to all of said compartments, and connections between said air-pressure source and said jcompartments for introducing air into the compartments; whereby in the event of leakage of water into a number of said compartments air may be forced therein to expel the same.

2. In combination with a vessels hull formed withholds, means for' sealing airtight or substantially so, the usual communications with the outside, means for forcing air under pressure into said holds, means for independently controlling the entranceof air into the individual holds, and an air-lock communicating with each ho d.

3. In combination with a vessels hull formed with compartments, means for renderingsaid compartments air-tight or substantially so, air-locks associated with said compartments, an air-compressor at or trodu'cing airunder pressure into the compartments.

they compartments, an air-compressor situ-.

ated above the compartments, a main distributing'pipe for the compressedair communicating with the air-compressor, and

wentilat' branch pipes leading from the main distributing pipe to the respective compartments. V

5. In combination with a vessels hull provided with an engine room and boiler room separated by a partition, means for rendering the engine room air-tight or substantially so, an air-lock communicating. with the en' gine room, and means for forcing air under pressure into the engine room; wherebyinthe event of leakage into the engine room only, the operation of the engines may be con tinued after the water is'expelled.

6. In combination with a vessels hull provided with a plurality of compartments, means for rendering said compartments airtight or substantially so, means for introducing air under pressure into said compartments, and means for adjusting the air pressure admitted to the several compart- -ments according to" the different hydrostatic ressures encountered therein.

7. combination with a vessels hull provided with a plurality of compartments, means for rendering said compartments airtight or substantially so, a source-of air pressure common to said compartments, individual'connections between the source of air pressure and the compartments, and re.- ducin valves in said connections. 1

8. combination with a vessels hull provided with two adjacent compartments, an air-lock comprising a chamber communicating with the outside, a door closing said chamber, two chambers branching from the first and communicating respectively with theltwo compartments, and doors controlling the communication of said branching chambers with the compartments.

. 9. In combination with adjacent compartments, an air-lock having an upper door communicating the outside and two lower doors communicating respectively with the two compartments.

10.v In combination with a vessels hull ,provided with a boiler room, -,a smokestack extending therefrom to the outside, two airlock doors in said stack, one above the other, a removal section in the stack above the up-- per air-lock door, and a second removal section in the stack communicating with the boiler room.

IIO

11. In a vessel and in combination with a funnel and its shaft,-upper and lower airock doors situated in said shaft.

In testimony whereof we hereunto set our hands this 24th day of November-1906, in the presence of two attesting witnesses:-

WILLIAM W. WOTHERSPOON. ROBERT 0. KING.

Witnesses:

GEO. A. HOFFMAN, W.'R. KENNEDY. 

